The Economic Development Strategic Plan attaches short- and long-term goals to 11 strategies to enhance Brown County’s strengths — affordable real estate, its position as a major health care center, Green Bay's rapidly improving downtown district, the NEW Manufacturing Alliance — as well as to combat weaknesses, including provincialism, a struggle to attract young talent, perceptions and the long overdue Southern Bridge.

Austin, Texas-based TIP Strategies combined socioeconomic data on the region with input from more than 300 business, government and community leaders. The 100-plus page report took 16 months to compile.

Chamber Vice President for Economic Development Peter Zaehringer said the firm did a “deep dive” on the area that presents a route to positive growth built on stronger communication, collaboration and shared investment. He said the end result will have an economic impact on employment, high-wage jobs, capital investment, innovation, tax base growth and business recruitment.

“None of this is canned stuff. Their research team was very important. We wanted to make sure this was based on hard data.” Zaehringer said. “This is executable right now.”

Zaehringer hasn’t wasted any time. He said he’s already started recruiting those who provided input to serve on task forces that will work on achieving the plan’s goals.

But all of it boils down to one thing in the end.

“The focal point of our strategy will be talent, talent and talent,” Zaehringer said.

The plan aims to develop intangible elements such as developing a culture of innovation downtown, translating the Packers brand into broader community success and image enhancement. But it also includes more concrete efforts, such as an expansion of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay into engineering and support for longtime manufacturers and fledgling high-tech startups.

Schreiber Foods President and CEO Mike Haddad said the region can, and must, do both as it works to recruit new businesses and retain existing ones in the area. He said the city of Green Bay's efforts to consolidate the company into a new headquarters building was an example of the kind of work that lies ahead.

"We have to work with existing employers. We also have to attract new business," Haddad said. "We recognize that we're going to have to refresh. Especially in the context of economic development, there is going to be enough disruption that's going to happen at a speed now that, if we're not attracting new business and investments, we can find ourselves left behind."

UWGB Chancellor Gary Miller welcomed the report's call for a multifaceted expansion of the university that includes the development of an engineering program in the only region of the state without one, expansion into downtown and more funding for research.

"For 30 years, this community has wanted an engineering program, but we will need your help to show this community will support the startup costs," Miller said. "Right now is our window. This is the time for Green Bay to step up and develop an engineering and technology center."

TIP Strategies Senior Consultant John Karras said one vital thing the region must do to achieve any of these goals is to increase communication and collaboration immediately.

“Our main goal should be to communicate more with each other so we have more SharpLogixx and Paper Transport stories,” Zaehringer said. “There’s so much competition out there, we can’t lose an entrepreneur. Everybody needs to participate in that.”